Bruce Tamnien Johannes Brahms Robert Shaw Festival Singers - Brahms Liebeslieder Waltzes (40 tracks) +Album Reviews

The Songs Are Truly Stunning -- A Treasure Trove

Eugene G. Barnes | Dunn Loring, VA USA | 02/28/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Your collection of Robert Shaw CDs wouldn't be complete without this easily overlooked volume of Brahms, 40 tracks (62 minutes) worth of impeccably realized choruses. The entire Liebeslieder (Love-Song) Waltzes are here (the first 33 tracks). They've been known to show up in two versions, (1) for four vocal soloists, and (2) for a four-part chorus of moderate size. Both are valid; Brahms did not make his druthers known. Over the years I've come to prefer the soloist version myself, but this performance of Shaw's makes the best case yet for the choral version. (It's Shaw's obviously calculated planning-out of the many fine melodic turns of phrase that I get a little frustrated over, preferring instead to hear the impassioned spontaneity of a solo singer. With Shaw, that's a small gripe, to say the least!)But listen, do you want to know a secret? It's the final seven tracks, which Shaw has called "Evening Songs." You can immediately hear that these are REAL choral pieces (that is to say, they wouldn't work at all with solo voices). They were selected from different eras in Brahms' life, and taken together they make a stunning impression. They have as their unifier texts about nighttime reveries and meditations. They stand with the best music Brahms ever wrote. You may find yourself cool to the frothy delights of the Waltzes (I don't; I think they're grand!), but you will not be able to deny the wonder of Brahms' - and Shaw's - achievement in these seven songs. Only 17 minutes they are, but they occupy a lifetime of taste!"

Brahms's choral music done by Shaw - YOU KNOW IT IS GREAT!

Craig Matteson | Ann Arbor, MI | 07/18/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In the time before TV, Movies, and, well, records - people would make music on their own. They would even form societies to perform choral or small ensemble music. This music is written for intimate performance. I mean, all you need is a group of 20-40 singers and a good piano with two decent pianists (it is piano four-hands).They are short, charming, and emotionally satisfying pieces. The technical demands are not severe, but require performers of some experience if not extensive training. The kind of people who would have existed in some quantity in Germany at the time these were written. Remember, Brahms actually made a living from the sales of his published music! That is very rare in the history of music. But the relative sophistication of the time created the demand for such pieces and Brahms provided them with absolute gems.This disk contains both sets of the Liebeslieder Waltzes (love-song waltzes) and the set of seven Abendlieder (evening songs).As you would expect the Robert Shaw Festival Singers sing beautifully and the pianists support the singing very well. The Liebeslieder sets are charming and fun and BEAUTIFUL. I was fortunate to sing the second set with the Ann Arbor Cantata Singers this past year. It is quite fun. There is nice variety in the character of the pieces and there is enough solo work for the strong voices in the group to step out (NOT ME!).The Abendlieder are utterly gorgeous. Emotionally rich and lush in sound and texture. A nice end to the disk.The disk also includes a nice booklet with the lyrics of the songs and provides an English translation.My only quibble, and it is a small one - and is getting smaller upon each re-hearing is that the recording sounds a bit too wet for my tastes. I would have like to have heard the parts a tad more clearly. But you will love this disk. So, don't worry about my little squawk. Feel free to let me know what you think of the music and the disk."

Brahms Waltzes

Brett A. Kniess | Madison, WI | 03/31/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"By the time Johannes Brahms' chamber works for vocal quartet and pianos came out, music in the home was certainly waning somewhat, but the Liebeslieder Waltzer succeeded; their high musical quality and accessibility are their great attributes, along with some evening-themed choral works, are features on this CD.

Brahms' Liebeslieder Waltzer are made up of 18 settings of texts by Georg Friederich Daumer; the texts usually speak of courtly love in various moods. Written for two pianos and voices ad libitum, Robert Shaw chooses the choral route, as opposed to solo voices. Most are SATB settings with women and men often answering each other, waltzes for just women and just men alone, as well as the occasional solo. There are many points of interest in these waltzes: the first being the great variety of settings; they never get old or repetitive. A gift of melodic writing and daring harmonic progressions, along with formulaic hemiolas; each are very descriptive of the moods they are portraying. Both the classical chamber settings and the lush Romantic sweep of the harmonies and melodies are evident in these charming works; the entirety at about 23 minutes, each waltz, none much over 2 minutes each. The popularity of the Liebeslieder Waltzer led to more: Neue Liebeslieder Waltzer. 14 of the texts are by Daumer, the final setting is by Goethe. The texts are a bit more serious, unrequited love and the dichotomy of misery and joy involved with love. The change in tone of text is apparent in the musical setting; less fluffy waltzes, and more emotionally-wrought settings. Again, there are advanced Romantic harmonies, but less chatting between men's and women's voices, but still featuring solos and gender waltzes. Again for two pianos, the quality of composition seems to rise in this new set of waltzes, less formulaic hemiolas and more singing qualities. Of particular note is the amazingly beautiful, haunting Waltz No. 13 for women's voices and the emotional final waltz, the only waltz not set in 3/4, with a cappella moments, evoking the depth of Romanticism and the clean classicism Brahms represented. At 21 minutes, each waltz continues the standard form: opening idea, contrasting idea, with an occasional return of the opening.

Also on this disk are seven part songs written by Brahms on the theme of Evening, filling out the CD with an additional 17 minutes: Waldesnacht, Der Abend, Nachtens, Abendstandchen, O Schone Nacht, Abendlied, and Rote Abendwolken. Spanning from Opus 42-112, these works represent Brahms' great choral writing in the German tradition. Each feature vivid and descriptive poetry about the night, along with sumptuous choral writing.

Robert Shaw and the Robert Shaw Festival Singers present an outstanding recording of the two sets of Liebeslieder Waltzer. Shaw does not add any over-Romanticized techniques, and rubato is nearly non-existent, for some clear choral renderings of these works. The textures and moods are brought out of the score by simply following Brahms' score markings, not by manufacturing interpretations. The addition of lieder experts John Wustman and Norman Mackenzie at the pianos, makes this a first-class performance. While the Zigeunerlieder would have been a better coupling, the seven evening songs are a welcome addition to the disk, and beautifully sung. The vocal quality is spot-on, and achieves expressiveness as well as clarity; the Festival Singers succeed here as opposed to other OK Festival Singers recordings. For solo editions of the Waltzes, look to EMI or DG, but for choral versions, this beats all. While a total of 62 minutes seems slim for a CD, these works have never sounded so fresh and committed; a must-have."

Simply Amazing

Geoff Webb | Oklahoma | 02/13/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Without getting overly analytical, this music is a MUST HAVE for any romantic vocal fan. If you've ever performed these, it is what would be called a "masterpiece". You will get something the further you dig into the music. Easily performed if mediocrity is acceptable. If true art is the aim, almost immpossible. And an artistic performance by one of the best choirs in this century. Very recommended."

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